


Autumn Leaves

by kirakiracats



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 09:25:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2383229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirakiracats/pseuds/kirakiracats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They fall for each other in fall, one more literally than the other.</p><p>Inspired by tumblr prompt: <em>'I got caught staring at my adult neighbour raking up a bunch of leaves in their backyard and jumping into them and now have to awkwardly pretend I saw nothing' AU</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	Autumn Leaves

**Author's Note:**

> Has anyone done this yet? I thought I'd give it a go, since the idea was cute, but it's probably best to keep in mind that this was written between midnight and 6AM so yeah. That was the time that inspiration struck so I didn't want to sleep and ruin it. You can't waste inspiration! It was going to be a drabble but then 4000 words happened, so does it still count?
> 
> The link to the tumblr post is [here](http://caswitch.tumblr.com/post/98336463652/aus-that-need-to-happen-autumn-edition-i-got).

 

“Sky! Walkies!”

 

The clicking of claws on kitchen tile sounds down the hallway. Eren watches as the dog rounds the corner at the end with just enough coordination to not bump into the wall on the way, patting a hand on his thigh to encourage her towards him. Sky doesn’t really slow down when she reaches him, knocking into his legs while his back is turned. But Eren is used to it and had braced himself, picking up her collar and leash from the hall table. He checks the pockets of his hoodie, the left for dog treats and the right for plastic bags. Assured that he has everything, Eren finally gives Sky the attention she’s begging for, ruffling the thick fur on her neck before fastening the blue collar around it. She sits obediently for the few seconds that the task requires before bouncing up and pawing at the front door.

 

“I’m leaving now,” Eren calls into the house, loud enough for his mother to hear even if she is still out tending the garden like the last time he saw her. The weather outside is mild, and the changing seasons has prompted Carla to spend more time clearing out old plants, ready for new ones. Eren is always surprised how his mother isn’t saddened by the loss of her beautiful summer flowers, with their vivid colours and pleasant fragrances. She simply moves on, changing the arrangement to fit the weather and her mood.

 

 _“I enjoyed them all while they bloomed. I’ll see them again next year, better and brighter,”_ she had said, her smile only slightly wistful. Eren had watched all their petals drop off, and then joined her the day after to buy new seeds from the store. Seeing the first green sprout appear from the soil is his favourite part. The fact that such a tiny thing will grow simply because the sun continues to rise each day helps him to get out of bed each morning. That motivation had been very useful when school had started up again back in September, the negative thoughts of his senior year ahead pushed to the back of his mind.

 

The other reason that he can wake up feeling energised is standing right in front of him, sniffing at the edge of the door and giving one loud bark that tells him he is taking too long to get outside. “I know, I know. Hold on, you silly dog.” He twists the key in the lock and opens the door, his firm grip on his end of the leash the only reason that Sky doesn’t rocket off down the street instantly. As it is, he stumbles over the threshold before finding his feet, holding onto the door handle for balance. Eren is quicker in closing the door without an overeager dog in the way, and sets off at an easy pace.

 

There are no cars driving down the road, but Eren doesn’t expect there to be, considering he lives far out from the centre of town, closer to empty fields than supermarkets. His street leads out into the countryside, not headed towards a nearby town or conveniently linked to a main road, so weekdays are quiet and weekends even more so. An ordinary Saturday like this one warrants very little travel this direction. He is looking forward to a calm walk, taking his time outside the house with no-one but his dog. It is peaceful other than the quiet sound of rustling leaves, which gets louder as he gets closer to his neighbour’s house. He spots the man coming around the far side of the house, dressed warmly but casually, with a scarf around his neck, a pale cream colour that contrasts with his dark hair. Eren notes the rake in his hands and the small pile of brown leaves at his feet.

 

 _Levi._  

 

Levi had moved into the house next door to Eren around half a year ago, and in that time, Eren can count the number of actual conversations they’ve had on one hand. But that isn’t to say that he dislikes the man, who is more than half a head shorter than his own five foot ten and has an almost permanent furrow in his brow. Eren likes how he speaks to him like an equal, despite the fact that he must be quite a few years older, and how he seems to share Eren's aversion to small talk. It’s partly the reason why their interactions have been so brief, barely a minute long without a properly engaging subject matter.

 

Eren also likes how attractive Levi is, and how being his neighbour has particular benefits, especially in the summer. Being able to watch a shirtless Levi lounging in his back yard from the comfort of his own room had been a divine experience for Eren, who had discovered his sexuality years ago but never felt drawn to someone so strongly. Prior to that sighting, Eren had only ever seen Levi in suits on weekdays. The rest of the time, the man stayed in the house a lot in the spring, unpacking and decorating his new home, Eren assumed.

 

Carla had been curious about the man who had moved into a house she deemed a little too large for only one person. Her talking had got Eren wondering too, sneaking glances out of the windows whenever he could hear a car start up next door. She had insisted on giving a housewarming gift, using Eren as the delivery boy after she had been the one to spend the time making the sweet dessert. It had been the first time Eren had seen Levi face-to-face, and for the first time in his life, he had wanted to ask another person mundane questions about their life simply out of interest. Unfortunately, Levi had looked so awkward accepting the warm dish, dwarfed in the tall doorway, that Eren's words had failed him. He had mumbled something along the lines of what his mother had told him to say, and then hurriedly left.

 

Eren had been the one to stay indoors the next few days, berating himself for the missed opportunity, and had ran away from the knock on the door that signalled Levi coming to return their now sparkling clean plate. The topic of dinner conversation that night had revolved around Levi, how he was polite yet looked so tired, and how he turned down Carla’s offer of coming over for dinner the next weekend. At the time, Eren had felt relieved, convinced that nothing good could come from him, his parents, and Levi spending an extended amount of time at one table while his tongue stuttered over ever other word and Levi gave his family blank but courteous looks while seeming like he would prefer to be alone. But now, months later, he thinks back on it as another wasted chance, since talking to Levi isn’t as nerve-wracking anymore and his mother could have possibly kept conversation flowing smoothly, regardless of Eren's personal struggles.

 

Days of greetings and a handful of times giving directions has been enough to cure Eren’s embarrassment – he had wondered why Levi didn’t just use the internet to find recommendations to nearby restaurants, but didn’t comment. Sky had also taken to him unusually well, bounding up to him as he had been getting out of his car one afternoon when the time of her walk had coincided with Levi's return perfectly. Levi had been interested in her uncommon colouring, a German shepherd the colour of a Golden Retriever, and Eren had told him that she is a crossbreed. They had talked until the sun had started to set and Eren's mother had called him for dinner.

 

Eren can’t find it in himself to care that one of the longest chats he has had with Levi had been ninety-nine percent about his dog and that he probably remembers her name better than his. He’s just glad that she didn’t decide to use his front yard as her toilet. Levi seems to take great pride in his house and lawn, maintaining both fastidiously by himself. It is no surprise to Eren that he’s out raking leaves as soon as the last one had fallen. The giant tree that sits on the border between their two properties must be decades old, and its many branches drop an excessive amount of leaves, in Eren's opinion. His mother has been nagging him for weeks to start clearing them up before the job gets too big, but he had ignored her advice in favour of other things. Once again, it looks like him and Levi think alike, waiting to do it all in one go, although in Levi's case it could be because he is a working adult with less time to spare.

 

Levi notices Eren as he passes by, and acknowledges his cheery, “Good afternoon, Levi,” with a small nod of the head before turning back to his work. Eren's smile widens at the simple gesture, hooked on the way Levi's forehead is free of wrinkles as he rakes the leaves, like the job is somehow soothing or therapeutic for him. He leaves the man to it without further interruption, dragging Sky away from her favourite neighbour and stopping her from possibly ruining his progress. Eren walks a little farther but can’t stop himself from looking back, watching Levi move in calculated lines across the grass. His concentration is so intense, each movement so precise, that Eren stops in the middle of the path and stares. He wants to know what is going on inside Levi's head, whether he’s actively thinking about what he is doing or whether his mind has cleared of all his life stresses and he has gone into a meditative state.

 

Sky pulls him along a minute or two later, unsatisfied with sniffing the same lamppost while Eren is in a daze. Eren follows her, thinking that he would like to get back before Levi finishes and the man disappears through his front door.

 

He’s done with waiting, he decides. Just existing close to each other is getting him nowhere. He doesn’t need Levi to know about his feelings, he just needs… more. More than what they have right now, although even that can sometimes be enough to make his heart flutter. Something beyond mere acquaintances, beyond polite neighbours. That would be Eren's ideal. Knowing Levi, and having Levi know him in return would be Eren's dream. Just like a seed has to take root before sprouting, he would like to confirm his presence in Levi's life, so that their relationship can develop; with steady care, of course, but that won’t be hard when they live next to each other.

 

“Wouldn’t that be nice, Sky?” he says as he bends down to unhook her leash. She answers with a lick to his hand, and he praises her before setting her free. He feels safe letting her off in this empty field, a fifteen minute walk from his house, and her recall isn’t as bad as it used to be. He walks along the edge while she runs loops and figure-eights beside him.

 

Maybe he could ask Levi to join him one day, a late walk during the week if he has time, or on the weekend if he prefers. Eren is out every day no matter what, so the company would be appreciated. He wouldn’t want to talk about school, and assumes that Levi wouldn’t enjoy talking about his work – although Eren would like to at least know what it is that he does – so first he would like to ask if Levi has any hobbies. Eren knows that he has two semi-regular visitors, a man and a woman who can arrive separately or together without any real pattern, and he would also like to ask about them, too.

 

It doesn’t count as small talk if it means something, right? Eren wants to commit it all to memory, wants to bond as two humans, as two souls. He halts and snaps himself out of his sappy thoughts with a slap to his cheeks. He can’t come across too strong, can’t drown the seed in too much water and then wonder why it’s not growing. There are proper methods to nurturing a plant to make it flourish. Opening up to him is a start. He imagines Levi as a cactus, thinking that a little could go a long way. Levi is stoic and mature, guarded but honest; a combination that Eren admires.

 

When had his admiration and his affection become so intertwined?

 

He breaks out of his reverie when Sky appears in front of him, dropping a stick at his feet and barking playfully. “Alright, alright,” he says, shaking his head as he picks up the offering. Sky hops on the spot and turns circles in anticipation, tearing off once he throws the stick and practically skipping back. Just watching her improves his mood, her happiness over fetching again and again infectious. It must be nice, to live in the ‘now,’ not worried about the past or the far off future. Easy wishes and no regrets. What a good life a dog has, Eren thinks.

 

He tosses the stick until it comes back too slobbery to even think about touching, ending the game with generous stroking and coos of, “Who’s a good girl?” Her abundance of energy seems to have diminished, and Eren thinks he has a plan of action where Levi is concerned, so they stroll back home leisurely, a cool breeze ruffling his hair.

 

Eren brightens when he sees that Levi is still outside, even though the man is facing away from him and can’t see him waving. As he gets closer, Sky panting quietly at his heels, he can see that Levi has managed to create a very impressive pile of leaves to the right-hand side of his front lawn. It is perfectly shaped, and Eren can’t see a single leaf left on the rest of the grass, a real testament to Levi's hard work, and also his need for cleanliness.

 

Eren is about to call out to him, compliment him on the good job and possibly ask for tips for when he gets around to doing the chore himself, but then Levi lays down his rake and glances around furtively. Eren is confused as to what he could be looking for, since there is nothing around where they are on the edge of town. He can’t see anything strange on the road so he keeps walking, now wanting to ask if Levi saw something he didn’t. And just as he gets close, something unexpected happens.

 

Levi jumps into the nicely organised pile of leaves. Jumps in. Just like that. And Eren can only watch as Levi turns and kicks out a leg, scattering the leaves and destroying the order he had created. And Eren thinks that he doesn’t know Levi at all. Because he would never have thought that his neighbour, who wears suits to work and likes routine, would like to play with the product of autumn like a child. Almost an hour of work, tossed aside like it was nothing. But Eren's heart swells at the sight, because this is new, and he loves it. Loves this hidden side of Levi that he is only just getting a glimpse of now. Loves the way his face is still mostly expressionless, but he can detect the slight curve of his lips. Loves the way it looks when he scoops up a large handful and throws it in the air so that leaves float down around him, creating a more beautiful picture than anything he’s ever seen. Loves the way his eyes are wider than normal, filled with wonder and underlying peace, because Levi obviously doesn’t regret a thing.

 

Easy wishes and no regrets.

 

Eren is so thankful he is there. The feeling bubbles up out of him in light-hearted laughter, and it is that which finally grabs Levi's attention. Eren immediately stops, seeing the shift on his face, seeing the walls go up again, and hating it. Because he wanted that moment to last forever, hopeful and pure and more than Eren could ever describe coherently. But it’s over, halted in its tracks because Levi hadn’t thought Eren had been there to witness it.

 

“U-um, Levi, I-I didn’t mean to laugh. I was just… you were just so…” Eren stammers, reaching out a hand but not really knowing what he wants to do with it. It hangs there uselessly in the space between them, a space which is infinitely expanding even as he tries to claw his way back to that happy place of a minute ago. And he trails off as Levi frowns and retreats to his house, moving faster than Eren had ever seen him and closing the door hard enough to make him flinch.

 

He stands there, alone in front of his neighbour’s house, unsure and off-balance. He looks at the mess of leaves left behind, crestfallen. Sky whines at him from his side. All he can say is, “Me too.”

 

+++++

 

Levi hasn’t left the house once the next day. Eren knows because he has been awake since six in the morning. The outside air is a little colder than the day before, but Eren welcomes the chill. It wakes him up better than coffee.

 

It also gives him something to blame his trembling limbs on other than his nerves. Standing on Levi's doorstep is still as daunting as it had been half a year ago. But he builds up the courage, after only five minutes of indecision, and finally rings the doorbell. Now he can do nothing but hope that Levi isn’t in a terrible mood due to yesterday’s incident. Eren had instantly rejected the idea of pretending that it didn’t happen, refusing to have any awkwardness sour their future interactions, and knows that avoiding the issue won’t help either. So here he is, shuffling his feet and waiting for the door to swing open. Even if Levi tells him bluntly to go away, he’s determined to follow through.

 

It takes a long time, but he does eventually hear footsteps on the other side of the wood, quieter than his thudding heartbeat. The lock clicks, and then Levi is there, his face an impassive mask. Eren swallows thickly, forcing out a, “G-good morning, Levi,” just for the sake of familiarity; he sticks with what he knows, first, and grounds himself. He gets no reply, and it hurts worse than he had imagined, but he stays resolute, even more sure that he has to do this.

 

“Watch this. Please,” Eren says, pleading with his eyes for Levi to not shut the door on his face, a tentative smile on his lips. He takes it as a good sign that Levi lets go of the door handle, even if it is to cross his arms firmly across his chest. Eren turns and walks out onto Levi's front lawn, towards the centrepiece of his grand plan. He’d borrowed the rake that Levi had left out, since his is locked in the shed in his backyard and his father must have placed the key in some obscure place in the house, and fixed Levi's leaf pile in the early morning.

 

Then he had added to it. All the leaves from his front yard. All the leaves from the giant tree they share. All of them had gone into creating the biggest pile he had ever seen, dense and every shade of brown and red and orange one could think of. It had taken him a while, wanting to match Levi's standards of not leaving a single stray leaf behind, but now he hopes it will be worth it.

 

He turns so his back is to the mound and he’s facing Levi, whose eyebrows are raised at the sight before him. Another good sign; he at least has his interest. Eren doesn’t know what to say. He rarely thinks something out this much, and even now he doesn’t know how this will end. It is a product of late night inspiration, carried through into morning but barely given a second thought. But none of that matters, since he’ll let his actions speak for him. Besides, he is recreating Levi's own actions, and his silence had spoken for him beautifully. So he simply grins at the man, not wanting to ruin it with a fumbling speech.

 

He just falls. Tips backward on his heels, spreads his arms wide and lets gravity do the work. Reaches the point of no return, hears the first leaves rustle against his back, locks his muscles to counteract the reflex, and falls. The speed makes his breath catch in his throat, and the last few inches feels the worst, but then he lands, dry leaves crunching under his weight. The sky is clear, a single plane trail crossing the endless expanse of pale blue, but it is soon obscured by the top of the pile caving in over him. He snaps his arms up to push them all into the air, surrounded by the crisp sound and smell, hoping that Levi hasn’t left because of his childishness.

 

But then he hears it. A snort that becomes a quiet chuckle, deep and unfamiliar, yet wonderful all the same. The most wonderful sound Eren has ever heard. He sits up, his shoulders barely clearing the top of the pile, to see Levi standing just outside his door. He has a hand over his mouth but Eren can see the crinkles at the corner of his eyes and the way his body is shaking with supressed laughter. And so he joins in, adding his loud laugh to the quiet Sunday morning, tossing more leaves in the air. And Levi hasn’t taken his eyes off him, walking over once he is quiet again and surprising Eren by dropping down into the leaves beside him.

 

Eren is flustered by their proximity, shoulders pressed together and faces turned towards each other. But Levi is alright, happy even, if he were to be so bold, and that had been Eren's goal. Whatever had made Levi run away before no longer mattered, forgotten in a second flurry of leaves. In an instance of bravery, Eren scatters more high above them, drunk on the thrill of the moment where Levi would be captivated with the way they twirled on their descent. He’s quickly becoming addicted to that look of bliss. And when those eyes meet his, he swears his heart skips a beat.

 

“Oi, Eren. There’s a leaf in your hair.”

 

The statement is perfectly innocent, but the softness of Levi's voice makes Eren's cheeks flush. He knows that there are probably multiple leaves stuck to him, but hardly cares. Levi picks one out for him, carefully fixing his hair afterwards.

 

“Sorry about the mess on your lawn.” Levi shrugs in response, the movement causing a cascade of leaves around them. They sit and enjoy the gentle atmosphere, and Eren is content with the amicable silence and the heat radiating from the body beside him.

 

“Would you like to come in for some tea?” Levi asks, the sudden invitation throwing Eren since he’s not used to the way Levi sounds when they’re right next to each other or the way he thinks. To him, offering tea is obviously the correct thing to do after sitting in a pile of leaves with your neighbour who you’ve barely spoken to before. The man isn’t even looking at him, gaze cast skyward, watching a pair of birds alight on the bare branches of the tree towering over them. Eren throws away his assumption that Levi likes solitude.

 

Because Eren doesn’t really know Levi; his likes, dislikes, birthday, family, history. Yet he accepts wholeheartedly, jumping up and offering a hand to Levi. And when that strong hand reaches up to grip his own, the warmth that washes over him is more than enough to forget about how long he’s spent outside. The hand squeezes tightly, and Eren is sure that he wants to know, wants to learn, wants to connect.

 

He doesn't think that his budding love will be dying anytime soon.

 

**Author's Note:**

> So this was originally supposed to have more humour and stuff but things rarely turn out how you want them to. Is the tree a metaphor? Even I don't know, 5AM is a strange time, tiredness is sure to hit me soon. The song 'Autumn Leaves' by Ed Sheeran kind of fits the mood but the lyrics don't really match, I remembered it when I made the title though and listened to it while writing. I hope this didn't suck too much. Someone else should try it out and make it more awkward and funny :3  
> [My tumblr](http://fortheloveoferen.tumblr.com)


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